Fat Tuesday Party with C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band plus Roy Rubenstein's Chicago Hot 6

During her first four-night stand back in 1981, Marcia Ball talked to Bill FitzGerald about Louisiana music and one performer in particular — Zydeco great Clifton Chenier. Bill subsequently went to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, met Clifton at Tipitina’s and created a lot of excitement when he brought him to Chicago for a four-night stand a few months later.  

Clifton Chenier, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the recent Grammy ceremony, returned to FitzGerald’s many times until his death in 1987. Since then, his son C.J. CHENIER & THE RED HOT LOUISIANA BAND have carried on the tradition. On Fat Tuesday, we’ll unveil a large framed photograph of Clifton Chenier taken by Chicago photographer Marc PoKempner during the Zydeco master’s first gig at FitzGerald’s, which will hang in the club permanently. The evening opens with a set of traditional jazz by Roy Rubenstein’s Chicago Hot 6.

The evening begins with traditional jazz by Roy Rubenstein’s Chicago Hot 6 at 5:30 pm followed two sets with C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band starting at 8:30 pm. Tickets are $20. Doors open at 5 pm. Tom "Festival" Cimms’ One Man Gumbo Stand will be selling gumbo, jambalaya and Andouille sausage po’ boys! Doors open at 5 pm.

C.J. CHENIER & THE RED HOT LOUISIANA BAND (8:30 pm): The son of the 'King of Zydeco' Clifton Chenier, C. J. joined his father's Red-Hot Louisiana Band playing saxophone at the age of 21. After Clifton's death in 1987, C.J. picked up the accordion and took charge of his father's ministry — to spread the word of zydeco music to the world. Since then, Chenier has pushed the genre to new heights with his virtuosity. The Boston Globe has called him "the crown prince of zydeco," and Living Blues magazine hails him as "the best living zydeco singer and accordionist." His musical style ranges from the traditional zydeco of Clifton Chenier right on up to modern funk with healthy doses of blues, R&B, swamp pop and even country. C.J.'s total mastery of the accordion combined with his rich, satisfying voice are the driving forces behind this power-house zydeco band.  His most recent Grammy-nominated album, the energetic "Can't Sit Down," was recorded live in a single session and released in 2011.

ROY RUBENSTEIN'S CHICAGO HOT 6 (5:30 pm): The evening begins with traditional jazz that says New Orleans through and through. With Roy Rubinstein on trombone, Sarah Spencer on tenor saxophone, John Skillman on clarinet, John Kuncl on banjo, Art Hovey on bass and Mike Albiniak on drums. The repertoire includes standards, as well as little-known numbers.